(1) Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to refrigeration systems. More particularly, the invention relates to means and methods of producing a compact and convertible refrigeration unit, easily adapted to direct cooled air in two or more directions.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Other refrigeration systems are known in the related art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,005 by Haasis issued on Feb. 14, 2006, discloses a refrigeration system with a sliding sub-unit comprising a centrifugal fan, fan motor, additional fan for cooling the fan motor, a flange and track slider assembly and a collection of springy metal stripes used to secure the sub-unit into a housing unit. Unfortunately, the system disclosed by Haasis leads to added noise and motor vibration due to the use of springy metal strips to secure the sub-unit to the housing. In order to achieve a secure and vibration resistant fit of the sub-unit, silicone or other materials are commonly used within the flange and track slider assembly. When a fan motor needs replacement, the typical service technician will not have the necessary sealants, which results in a newly installed motor causing unacceptable noise and vibration.
Another shortfall in the Haasis system is the inefficiency of using one motor to turn a single traditional centrifugal fan. Moreover, the overall design of the Hassis system requires the use of a second motor cooling fan to cool the motor also turning the centrifugal fan. The added load to the motor from the second cooling fan often creates more heat than what is removed by the second fan. Furthermore, the coil configuration of the Haasis system fails to adapt to varying food storage containers or other applications with untraditional dimensions and access problems. Moreover, the overall configuration of the Haasis system leads to a heavy cooling system making installation difficult in overhead locations.